Kvitova against Russians at Wimbledon and at the Olympics
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova says the All England Club's decision to allow players from Russia and Belarus to play despite this summer's war of aggression against Ukraine was a mistake.
by SID
last edit: Apr 01, 2023, 04:27 pm
"I think they shouldn't be allowed," said the Czech on the sidelines of the WTA tournament in Miami, "in my opinion, not at the Olympic Games either."
After the ban last year, Russians and Belarusians are allowed to start in Wimbledon this season as in the other Grand Slam tournaments or on the ATP and WTA tours. This was announced by the organizing All England Club on Friday. The IOC has postponed the decision on the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, for the previous competitions the world associations should decide themselves. The IOC advocated the participation of the Russians and Belarusians under conditions.
"I recognize that it was difficult for Wimbledon last year," said Kvitova. The player associations ATP and WTA had withdrawn the world ranking points from the "Championships" 2022. In the debate, Kvitova (33) is less concerned about the rights of Russian and Belarusian athletes than "about the people and players of Ukraine." The Wimbledon decision was made without consulting the players, said Kvitova.
Players must sign declarations
Meanwhile, the All England Club specified the conditions under which Russians and Belarusians would be admitted. They must sign a statement forbidding any support for the invasion or their regimes, and may not receive any money from the governments or companies closely associated with the regimes. As has been the case in tennis for more than a year, they have to compete without a flag or a name reference to their home country.
Instrumentalization by the governments of the warmongering parties remains a concern, admitted Sally Bolton, leader of the All England Club, when asked by the BBC. However, she believes in the effect of the sanctions, which leave fewer opportunities for state propaganda. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described the Wimbledon decision as "immoral".
With the Russian and Belarusian pros returning, the season could be over for players from Ukraine. The government had ordered all athletes to boycott competitions involving athletes from Russia and Belarus. Failure to do so could result in associations losing their national status.